Grammar — is it necessary?
Short answer: Yes, it is not just necessary, but absolutely essential. Grammar, not vocabulary, is the language. Over 50% of English words are also found in French, yet the two languages are not mutually intelligible, even in writing (where pronunciation isn’t an issue). That's grammar.
So, if this is true, why do students (and even teachers) constantly question the value of grammar in foreign language learning? It’s because people don’t even know what grammar is. One of my favorite online English dictionaries is the MacMillan. Today I came across an article that made the point very well. Here is a quote (emphasis mine):
“When linguists talk about grammar they are normally referring to morphology, syntax, and so on – the systematic rules that we learn informally as infants…. When non-linguists talk about grammar, they are normally referring to more transient things like spelling, style, and conventions of usage.”
Now don’t worry — it is not necessary to learn the rules “informally as infants.” As an adult, you can take shortcuts — using “cheatsheets” (verb paradigm tables and such) and intensive drills. But make no mistake — your first goal (after getting pronunciation under control) is to acquire the grammar native speakers know before they enter elementary school. Only after you’ve done that will you benefit from learning the formal grammar (which is often not even grammar at all, but merely style) that native speakers learn in high school.
For further information, I recommend reading the short article on the MacMillan Dictionary website. (They have a lot of good articles.)
What are your opinions on and experiences with grammar? Feel free to share!